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When is the Apple Card coming to Europe? Alternatives for 2024

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Walter Dunphy
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Fact checked by
Franklin Silva
Updated
Jul 26, 2024

The Apple Card is currently unavailable to European Citizens, and there are no official plans to roll it out to users outside of the United States. To be eligible to sign up for an Apple Card, you must be a US citizen or be resident in the US with valid proof of address (a P.O. Box address will be insufficient).

Why is the Apple Card not available in Europe?

One of the biggest challenges Apple faces in the European market is the limit on interchange merchant service fees in the EU that the retailer usually bears. These limits are 0.2% for debit cards and 0.3% for credit cards. 

It is not uncommon in the US market for retailers to be charged more than 3% interchange fees, which makes the US market far more lucrative from Apple’s perspective. Many US retailers are, however, willing to accept these excessive rates due to the reputation of Apple customers being more valuable than the average customer.

So, if and when the Apple Card is launched in Europe, it is likely that the features and offers may be different from what is being offered to US customers due to the fundamental differences between how each market operates. 

We think Revolut has the closest product offering to the Apple Card in the US. With Revolut, you can access a debit and credit card, buy now, pay later, cashback offers, and cheap fees. As well as this, Revolut has many other features the Apple Card does not have, such as the ability to invest.

Can US users use the Apple Card in Europe?

While the Apple Card is currently only available to US citizens and residents, this does not stop the card from being abroad in places like Europe and other parts of the world. So yes, US users can still use the Apple card anywhere in the world.

Apple has partnered with Mastercard International to enable the conversion of foreign currency transactions on your card, and  Apple does not charge any additional fees for this service.

Key Features of Apple Cards

The following are some of the key features and benefits of the Apple Card:

  • Applications can take as little as one minute
  • No setup fees
  • No annual fees
  • No late fees
  • No over-the-limit fees
  • No foreign exchange fees
  • No account maintenance fees
  • 2% daily unlimited cashback
  • 3% daily cashback at the Apple store and other vendors such as Nike
  • Access to a high-yield savings account with interest rates of 4.40% APY
  • You can buy a new iMac, iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch with a monthly instalment plan (interest-free)

It is easy to see why so many Apple customers in Europe are keen to get their hands on an Apple Card. Let us look at some alternative cards currently available in Europe.

Apple Card alternatives in Europe

Not to worry, we will be taking you through some great alternatives to the Apple Card that are available in Europe in this article:

Card Apple Wise Revolut N26 Monese Bunq
Monthly Fee None €7 initial fee, no monthly fees Standard: Free

Plus: €2.99 per month

Premium: €7.99 per month

Metal: €13.99 per month

Ultra: €45.00 per month

Standard: Free

Smart: €4.90

You: €9.90

Metal: €16.90

Simple: Free

Classic: €5.95 per month

Premium: €14.95 per month

Easy Savings: Free

Easy Bank: €2.99 per month

Easy Money: €8.99 per month

Easy Green: €17.99 per month

Transaction Fees None Starts from 0.43% and varies by currency Free for transactions with other Revolut users and local payments in your base currency and within the EEA.

Fees apply for international transfers

SEPA transfers: are also usually free of charge.

International transfers: using a Wise integration typically cost 0.5%

Monese to Monese transfers and local currency transfers are free for all accounts.

Fees apply for International transfers: Simple 2%(+1% on weekends); Classic 0.5%; and Premium Free

€0.70 for Fast Euro payment, additional charges apply for other currencies and if conversions are required.
Deposit Fee None 2% None SEPA transfers: are free but limited to €100 per month.

Debit or credit card instant deposits:  You can choose to deposit between 20€ and 450€ per calendar month. The first deposit is free. The following deposits charge a fee of 3%.

Instant card top-up: 1%

Debit card top-ups: Simple 2%(additional ; Classic 0.5%; and Premium Free

Cash top-ups: Simple 2%; Classic 0.5%; and Premium Free

0.5% for EEA cards or 2.5% for non-EEA cards (first €500 free per month)
ATM Withdrawal fees None Withdrawing €200 per month per account is free (2 or less withdrawals)

1.75% +€0.50c charge for ATM withdrawals above €200

Standard: €200 per month or 5 withdrawals limit

Plus:  €200 per month limit

Premium:  €400 per month limit

Metal: €800 per month limit

Ultra: €2,000 per month limit

2% fee charged in excess of these limits

Standard: 3 free withdrawals p/m

Smart: 5 free withdrawals p/m

You: 5 free withdrawals p/m

Metal: 8 free withdrawals p/m

Monthly free limits: Simple €100; Classic €500; and Premium €1,500.

2% fee once limits have been exceeded

6 free withdrawals per month for Easy Green and Easy Money accounts.

Extra ATM withdrawals: €0.99 for up to 5 withdrawals per month and €2.99 for any additional withdrawals.

FX Conversion Fees None Starts from 0.43% and varies by currency Standard and Plus: Exchange limit of EUR 1,000 per month. Fair usage fee of 1% for Standard and 0.5% for Plus plans applies to any additional exchange.

Premium, Metal and Ultra: No exchange limit. No fair usage fee

Free card payments worldwide

You and Metal account holders: can withdraw cash for free at foreign ATMs

Standard free bank account: customers are charged a fixed 1.7% conversion fee 

Free for EUR, GBP,  Romanian lei and Swedish krona up to €2,000 monthly allowance.

2% fee for amounts in excess of allowance and all other currencies.

No FX fees for Easy Green and Easy Money accounts. Fees are 1-3% for all other accounts.
Lending Rate 15.99-26.99% Service not provided Pay zero interest on purchases and balance transfers for up to three months, as long as you meet your minimum monthly payments.

After that, make your repayments on time, in full and you’ll continue to enjoy interest-free spending.

17.99% APR applies if you don’t keep up with the repayments.

Up to 19% based on assessment Service not provided 0% –  it’s an official credit card  without the risk of falling into debt. This allows you to use it to the full extent and acceptability of a normal credit card, without the possibility of financial burden.
Cashback offer 2% Daily Balance cashback scheme: 1.79% for any EUR; 3.12% for any GBP; 3.85% for any USD 1% on cashback on Credit Cards for the first 3 months when you spend up to €1,000. Vendor specific cashback available on debit cards also. Business accounts only 1.5% Cashback Promotion for UK Customers Up to 2% on eligible payments for Easy Green and Easy Money accounts
Card Type Credit Debit Debit and Credit card available Debit or Credit Card Debit Debit and Credit

Revolut vs Apple Card

Pros

  • No FX fees
  • Integrated with Apple Pay
  • Many great features for people travelling frequently

Cons

  • Cashback only available on business accounts
  • Confusing fee structure

Fintech company Revolut has been growing rapidly since it was founded in 2015; every couple of months, they add new services and features to their platform.

Revolut is suitable for those who travel a lot, go out for meals with friends and regularly need to split bills easily, want access to short-term finance on the go, and have the ability to invest surplus funds.

If you are trying to find a similar service to the Apple Card in Europe, Revolut will tick many boxes, such as cashback offers, credit cards, cheap foreign exchange transactions, savings, and buy now pay later services.

Card Revolut Apple
Monthly Fee Standard: Free
Plus: €2.99 per month
Premium: €7.99 per month
Metal: €13.99 per month
Ultra: €45.00 per month
None
Transaction Fees Free for transactions with other Revolut users and local payments in your base currency and within the EEA.
Fees apply for international transfers
None
Deposit Fee None None
ATM Withdrawal fees Standard: €200 per month or 5 withdrawals limit
Plus:  €200 per month limit
Premium:  €400 per month limit
Metal: €800 per month limit
Ultra: €2,000 per month limit
2% fee charged in excess of these limits
None
FX Conversion Fees Standard and Plus: Exchange limit of EUR 1,000 per month. Fair usage fee of 1% for Standard and 0.5% for Plus plans applies to any additional exchange.
Premium, Metal and Ultra: No exchange limit. No fair usage fee
None
Lending Rate Pay zero interest on purchases and balance transfers for up to three months, as long as you meet your minimum monthly payments.
After that, make your repayments on time, in full, and you’ll continue to enjoy interest-free spending.
17.99% APR applies if you don’t keep up with the repayments.
15.99-26.99%
Cashback offer 1% on cashback on Credit Cards for the first 3 months when you spend up to €1,000. Vendor specific cashback available on debit cards also. 2% Daily
Card Type Debit and Credit card available Credit

N26 vs Apple Card

Pros

  • Market leader in cross-border payments
  • Lucrative Balance cashback scheme
  • Integrated with Apple Pay
  • Simple one for all account structure with no monthly fees

Cons

  • No line of credit available
  • Expensive deposit fees

N26 has been another great option available in the European market since 2013. With no fx conversion fees for worldwide payments and many features suitable for travellers, an N26 can be a useful travel companion. Both debit and credit cards are available to suit your needs.

The only downside is that you won’t be able to avail of any cashback offers similar to an Apple card, as this feature is restricted to business accounts.

Card N26 Apple
Monthly Fee Standard: Free
Smart: €4.90
You: €9.90
Metal: €16.90
None
Transaction Fees SEPA transfers: are also usually free of charge.
International transfers: using a Wise integration typically cost 0.5%
None
Deposit Fee SEPA transfers: are free but limited to €100 per month.
Debit or credit card instant deposits:  You can choose to deposit between 20€ and 450€ per calendar month. The first deposit is free. The following deposits charge a fee of 3%.
None
ATM Withdrawal fees Standard: 3 free withdrawals p/m
Smart: 5 free withdrawals p/m
You: 5 free withdrawals p/m
Metal: 8 free withdrawals p/m
None
FX Conversion Fees Free card payments worldwide
You and Metal account holders: can withdraw cash for free at foreign ATMs
Standard free bank account: customers are charged a fixed 1.7% conversion fee 
None
Lending Rate Up to 19% based on assessment 15.99-26.99%
Cashback offer Business accounts only 2% Daily
Card Type Debit or Credit Card Credit

Wise vs Apple Card

Pros

  • Market leader in cross-border payments
  • Lucrative Balance cashback scheme
  • Integrated with Apple Pay
  • Simple one for all account structure with no monthly fees
  • Integrated with Apple Pay

Cons

  • No line of credit available
  • Expensive deposit fees
  • Expensive deposit and top-up fees

Wise are the experts when it comes to moving money internationally. Many other fintech companies partner with Wise to offer international transfers as part of their service.

Wise may be the perfect fit for you if you regularly need to spend while abroad or send/receive money from all over the world. You can order a Wise card in just five minutes and pay just €7 to get up and running; after that, you won’t pay any monthly service fees.

However, Wise may not be the right choice if a credit card option or a buy now pay later feature are most important to you.

Card Wise Apple
Monthly Fee €7 initial fee, no monthly fees None
Transaction Fees Starts from 0.43% and varies by currency None
Deposit Fee 2% None
ATM Withdrawal fees Withdrawing €200 per month per account is free (2 or less withdrawals)
1.75% +€0.50c charge for ATM withdrawals above €200
None
FX Conversion Fees Starts from 0.43% and varies by currency None
Lending Rate Service not provided 15.99-26.99%
Cashback offer Balance cashback scheme: 1.79% for any EUR; 3.12% for any GBP; 3.85% for any USD 2% Daily
Card Type Debit Credit

Monese vs Apple Card

Pros

  • Easy account opening
  • Access to Raisin Savings products through Monese Account
  • Integrated with Apple Pay

Cons

  • Cashback offer, Credit Builder and Insurance features limited to UK customers
  • No line of credit available
  • Expensive deposit and top-up fees

Monese’s UK customers can enjoy some unique features such as their cashback offers and Credit Builder, which allows you to grow your credit score to make a big purchase of a house or a car. Unfortunately, outside of the UK, Monese has a basic offering for customers compared to the other providers we have discussed in this article.

Monese has no credit card option available, so it does not tick all of the same boxes as the Apple card.

Card Monese Apple
Monthly Fee Simple: Free
Classic: €5.95 per month
Premium: €14.95 per month
None
Transaction Fees Monese to Monese transfers and local currency transfers are free for all accounts.
Fees apply for International transfers: Simple 2%(+1% on weekends); Classic 0.5%; and Premium Free
None
Deposit Fee Instant card top-up: 1%
Debit card top-ups: Simple 2%(additional ; Classic 0.5%; and Premium Free
Cash top-ups: Simple 2%; Classic 0.5%; and Premium Free
None
ATM Withdrawal fees Monthly free limits: Simple €100; Classic €500; and Premium €1,500.
2% fee once limits have been exceeded
None
FX Conversion Fees Free for EUR, GBP,  Romanian lei and Swedish krona up to €2,000 monthly allowance.
2% fee for amounts in excess of allowance and all other currencies.
None
Lending Rate Service not provided 15.99-26.99%
Cashback offer 1.5% Cashback Promotion for UK Customers 2% Daily
Card Type Debit Credit

Bunq vs Apple Card

Pros

  • CO2 Free Banking
  • No FX Fees for Easy Green and Easy Money accounts
  • Integrated with Apple Pay

Cons

  • No real line of credit available
  • Need to pay a minimum €8.99 per month to access cashback offers

If you are looking for a company that prioritises sustainability to handle your banking, then Bunq may be a great fit. For every €100 you spend, Bunq will plant a tree, and you can track your progress to becoming CO2-free easily through their app.

Also, if you need to stick to a tight budget, Bunq has many tools and features to help you meet your targets.

On the downside, if you want to unlock the majority of Bunq’s features, you must at least sign up for an Easy Money account with a monthly fee of €8.99.

Card Bunq Apple
Monthly Fee Easy Savings: Free
Easy Bank: €2.99 per month
Easy Money: €8.99 per month
Easy Green: €17.99 per month
None
Transaction Fees €0.70 for Fast Euro payment; additional charges apply for other currencies and if conversions are required. None
Deposit Fee 0.5% for EEA cards or 2.5% for non-EEA cards (first €500 free per month) None
ATM Withdrawal fees 6 free withdrawals per month for Easy Green and Easy Money accounts.
Extra ATM withdrawals: €0.99 for up to 5 monthly withdrawals and €2.99 for any additional withdrawals.
None
FX Conversion Fees No FX fees for Easy Green and Easy Money accounts. Fees are 1-3% for all other accounts. None
Lending Rate 0% –  it’s an official credit card without the risk of falling into debt. This allows you to use it to the full extent and acceptability of a normal credit card without the possibility of financial burden. 15.99-26.99%
Cashback offer Up to 2% on eligible payments for Easy Green and Easy Money accounts 2% Daily
Card Type Debit and Credit Credit

Final thoughts

It is unclear if we will see Apple roll out its Apple card in Europe anytime soon, but Apple consumers have some ready-made solutions that can work just as well.

Most accounts and cards discussed in this article are integrated with Apple Pay. Each offering may have some of the equivalent benefits of the Apple card, but you can find a suitable alternative if you can choose the most important features.

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Author Avatar
Walter Dunphy
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An ACCA-qualified professional with years of experience in creating practical personal finance-related content. Walter's mission is to make personal finance less intimidating and more accessible to everyone.

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